Worst U.S. cities for spring allergies

By Jacque Wilson, CNN

Updated 7:28 AM ET, Mon March 31, 2014

Allergy-proof your day11 photos

Allergy-proof your day – Now that hay fever season has hit, your first instinct might be to pop an antihistamine. It's not a bad one: "If you have allergies, one of the best things you can do is start medications early, even before your symptoms kick in," says Dr. Neeta Ogden, an allergist in New York.

But, she adds, it's also crucial to make tweaks to your daily routine to avoid whatever sparks your symptoms. Read on for easy, effective ways to keep sniffles at bay 24/7.

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Allergy-proof your day11 photos

Keep your windows shut – Tree and grass pollen -- the main causes of spring allergies -- can blow into your house if you open your windows even a crack, "especially during the early morning hours, when tree pollen counts are typically the highest," says Dr. Vincent Tubiolo, an allergy, asthma and immunology specialist in Santa Barbara, California.

Stuffy inside? Run the air conditioning, but change your filters before each season to remove pollen, dust and mold. If you're really suffering, invest in an air purifier with a HEPA filter to help suck up lingering allergens.

Snack on yogurt – People who consumed a yogurt drink containing the probiotic Lactobacillus casei once a day for five months had lower levels of an antibody that produces allergy symptoms, according to a study from the Institute of Food Research in the United Kingdom. Researchers are now looking into whether that might actually lessen the severity of those symptoms.

In the meantime, it couldn't hurt to take probiotic supplements or eat yogurt regularly. Check the label to see if a product contains L. casei.

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Take a breather – Research shows that stress can aggravate allergic reactions, even a full day after an anxiety-producing event. That might be because as stress hormones in your body rise, so do levels of cytokines -- proteins we produce as part of the allergic response, according to research from Ohio State University.

To keep an even keel during allergy season, soothe yourself by breathing deeply, listening to tunes you love or working out.

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LImit outdoor runs to the afternoon – If you prefer to run or walk outdoors, do so in the afternoon, when pollen counts are lower, Tubiolo advises. But if your allergies are really bad, you're better off sticking with the gym or at-home workouts.Health.com: Home remedies for allergies: What works?

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Kick off your shoes at home – This will prevent you from tracking pollen all over the house. Better yet, strip off your clothes and hop in the shower so pollen doesn't linger on your hair and body. Run the bathroom fan to keep humidity levels down and prevent mold spores -- another allergy trigger -- from taking hold.

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Eat salmon – Participants in a German study who consumed the highest amount of a type of omega-3 fatty acid called EPA (found in fatty fish, like salmon) had a lower risk of developing hay fever. This substance might quash allergy symptoms by reducing inflammation in the body, Ogden says.

Don't eat fish regularly? Taking an omega-3 supplement with EPA can also help, she says.

Pop a 24-hour allergy pill before bed – That's right -- before bed. Some antihistamines can make you drowsy. Plus, many of them take an hour or two to kick in, Tubiolo explains. That means they'll start working while you're asleep and you'll be symptom-free when you step out the door.Health.com: Your secret allergy triggers revealed

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Story highlights

Louisville, Kentucky, tops the list of the worst cities for allergy sufferers

Texas and Tennessee both have three cities in the list's top 20

The blend of winter and spring weather may make allergies worse

If you're cursing Mother Nature right now, we understand. The official start of spring was March 20, and yet signs of winter abound.

There's snow on the ground in the North, and the South is being tossed between 40-degree and 70-degree weather like a pingpong ball.

Yet "even in the throes of what feels like a 2014 Ice Age, millions of Americans have begun showing up in doctors' offices with the tell-tale signs of allergies," the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America says.

It may be even worse for allergy sufferers in certain cities across the country. The foundation has released its annual list of the worst places for spring allergies. Topping the list this year are Louisville, Kentucky; Memphis, Tennessee; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

These so-called allergy capitals are ranked based on pollen levels, use of allergy medications and the number of board-certified allergists in the area.

Louisville has moved up the list from No. 5 last year because of higher-than-average pollen counts, high use of allergy medications and too few allergy specialists, according to the foundation.

New York; Columbia, South Carolina; and San Antonio are new to the top 20. Only Los Angeles residents can breathe a sigh of relief; the city fell 39 places from No. 38 last year to No. 77 this year.

"Allergy and asthma patients already have a chronic sensitivity to things like pollen, mold and other airborne allergens, but they can also be more susceptible to rapid changes in temperature and moisture," Dr. Clifford Bassett, medical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of NY and an ambassador for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, said in a statement. "A blending of the winter and spring means these patients are at risk of multiple symptoms simultaneously."

And in case you were keeping a close eye on this type of thing, here is last year's list of spring "allergy capitals":